Doepfer A-188-1D

This Doepfer BBD is a really nice unit.
I do both experimental and tonal music. In the first case it is a nice addition to any modular setup but if you are looking for a quiet delay this is not for you especially with standard music. You need a dedicated LPF to eliminate the clock noise at certain delay clock range. Yes it is normal but I find this unit noisier then average. Like all BBD if the LPF is pushed too far you will loose the high frequencies of the delay taps so the balance must be carefully set. I find best results with the Doepfer "Wasp" filter A-124. You can use it as part of the modular setup or as an outboard effects for your mixer

Like all Doepfer modules, the a-188-1D is built well. The delay isn't the "Plug and play" delay a lot of people will be expecting though. You'll need to filter out your own clock noise and such. Once setup, it sounds great. However, if impatient or short on HP, this might not be the right choice for you. It's a large module, needs other modules to perform delay duties well and setting the gain also requires some consideration as overly loud signals, depending on the delay time, can also cause distortion. All pros in the rights hands, all frustration for the wrong ones. I like finding the devil in the details so for me, it's a great module.